Uhhhh...

Sheesh, can't a guy have a little fun? Here's the smaller photo that ran in Friday's blog. 3DSteve objected to the big image of Lurch. This is a shopper at a Nordstrom store... I'll leave Lurch out of it. You rang? (AP Photo)

We're linktastic today, with lots of little sidetrips to send you on. First, I get admonished:

* 3DSteve comments on the Friday blog, "Does the picture of the shopper have to be so small while Lurch practically fills the screen? I think an example of a person actually doing what this column is about and contributing to the economy should get more priority over... Lurch?"

I... don't know what to say.

* Lassie writes, "Bob, about plastic bags: This is truly sickening, I read in an outdoor magazine that in the ocean, there are floating 'islands' made up of bits of plastic. From teeny bits to huge chunks, floating pieces of plastic stuff that has broken down, forming 'islands' as big as some states.(I don't have a cite, but anyone can Google it). I am beyond horrified. Everyone think of that before the store clerk tosses your bottle of nail polish into yet another plastic bag...

"...The old grocery store (P&C?) on the west side, West Fayette and West Genesee area? Then it was a bingo hall? There are workers busy there and someone asked one of the workmen what was happening, and he said (no, not a Kohl's, not a chicken wings restaurant, not a Target, no, nor yet another auto parts store... no) it was being remodeled to become a Jehovah's Witness meeting hall."

Thanks. This really helps, especially those who missed my mention of this in Store Front in The P-S. There was also an article on the local section of The P-S this morning. But Lassie, I'm still getting calls and e-mails asking what's going on there...

And here's a link to an article on the continent-size islands. I'm speechless.

* Dan in Auburn writes, "Hi Bob -- An update on the KB closings.. KB's website now lists what stores are set to close - you just toggle their store locator, and each store is listed with its status.. here's NYS. So the Carousel store bites it. Auburn and Clay survive... Thanks!"

Thank you. I hit that last week in Store Front in The P-S, but this helps those who missed it, especially this week. The site notes KB in Carousel isn't participating in the sale flyer Friday, but I wonder if they'll still do the traditional early opening? I guess, um, like, what for?

A customer shops for phones at a Circuit City store near Valley Forge, Pa. (AP Photo/George Widman)

* And thanks to Frank Hammon of Virginia, who dug up some CNY news for the Auburn area, "Bob -- I did some checking (snooping or what-have-you) regarding an opening on the Circuit City Finger Lakes. Jennifer Sills called me back this morning to let me know they have an opening planned for the middle of their fourth quarter, which is December, January and February. When I said 'So, you'll miss the holiday shopping season,' she hedged, noting that they've had construction delays so she was hesitant to commit to a date. BTW, this is a 20,000-square-foot store."

Definitely tiny, by comparison, but CC and rival Best Buy are taking that approach, for "backfill'' stores (see DeWitt and, later, Clay) in markets where they already have a popular larger store (see Carousel Center). Also, this prototype fits smaller communities such as the Auburn area.

* Frank also checks in with this, "Bob -- This mall has been in the southern Richmond' burbs for maybe close to 20 years. (I've been here 19.) They recently tore down the AMC theaters and are replacing it with a Barnes & Noble taking up about the same footprint. That's just a part of the evolution of this center in more recent years. Personally, I haven't been down that far since a year or so after it opened since there are shopping venues closer than crossing the James (River). Oh, and guess which company owns this place? The answer below.
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Can you say 'Macerich?' ''

Through gritted teeth. Or like Jerry Seinfeld said "Hello...Newman..." on "Seinfeld."

The Mace promises a redo of ShoppingTown Mall, but as you know, that's delayed a year. On the bright side, Macerich just opened its new outdoor section of its prized Freehold Raceway Mall and sent some folks from ShoppingTown to see what's in store for them.